a new dawn
by doomsbane
Summary: Ravenpaw was a normal warrior apprentice until tigerclaw began his rampage. read as Ravenpaw goes through memory lane and travels to the clans in to discover if he was really meant to be a warrior after all.
1. Chapter 1

A New Dawn

chapter 1 remembering

Ravenpaw smiled to himself as he walked back to the barn carrying a bunch of mice that might even impress barley! As he trotted in he saw barley in the

loft "hey! Ravenpaw did you manage to catch something for you old mate barley?" Barley called Ravenpaw smiled. Barley was always thinking about food and mice in particular. Ravenpaw had nothing against mice but these had run straight from the forest and the smells reminded him of his friends and his clan. He sometimes wondered about Thunderclan and Graystripe and his friend Firestar. And he wanted to visit them. Even though someone needed to feed Barley since he was getting older and was almost completely deaf in one ear "here you go Barley one tasty mouse for you and one for me"

then sitting down with his mouse he remembered his time in the forest.

"Ravenkit come forward" Bluestar called from her high perch atop highrock.

Ravenkit pricked his ears and scampered forward almost tripping in his excitement "today is your sixth moon and I'm happy to introduce you to the clan" Bluestar continued smiling at his excitement "from this day forward you will be known as Ravenpaw till you have received your warrior name" Bluestar yowled "Tigerclaw come forward. You have had an excellent mentor and we all honor his death" the rest of the clan murmured and nodded their heads "I wish you to pass these skills to Ravenpaw so that he maybe as strong as you" Ravenpaw ran over and pressed his nose to Tigerclaw. The strong tabby looked happy and smiled as he looked down on his apprentice.

But there was something deeper down in those eyes something that made Ravenpaw want to shiver. It was a seed of evil, it didn't look as if it would sprout but something deep inside Ravenpaw told him that it would.

"Ravenpaw!" meowed Tigerclaw "battle stance!" Ravenpaw immediately took it and launched himself at his opponent fluffy Graypaw which took on a sturdy stance and took Ravenpaws attack then dodging a flurry of paw swipes knocked Ravenpaw over. Ravenpaw relaxed and let his body relax like in defeat and then as Graypaw relaxed launched himself at him.

At the end of the fight Ravenpaw had pinned Graypaw and held him to the ground. Both looked expectantly at Tigerclaw and he smiled and mewed "what are you looking at me for?" He asked as he licked his paw and flicked it across his ear. Ravenpaw thought he looked strangely uncomfortable so he tried to cheer him up "the same reason your looking at us" he answered jokingly at his mentor "quiet! There something going on over there" he said quietly. Sure enough there was a yowling coming from sunning rocks and it sounded like Riverclan was up to there old tricks. "Ravenpaw Graypaw follow me" Tigerclaw said flicking his tail.

Later they were on the edge of sunning rocks looking at the triumphant Riverclan cats who were calling more cats to the their territory. Tigerclaw looked stunned. And strangely happy "Graypaw go back to thunderclan camp and get reinforcements" Tigerclaw commanded. Ravenpaw looked nervously at his mentor. This was his first battle and it was nerve wracking thinking about all the things that could go wrong in one. When he thought about battles before hand he had thought he could handle hundreds of Riverclan but now that he saw how big and tough the Riverclan warriors he couldn't help but notice that all of them were bigger than him. He barely had time to notice this though because as soon as Graypaw, Redtail and mousefur was here (they was the only warriors at camp at the time) they charged in "THUNDERCLAN ATTACK!" yowled Tigerclaw as he charged into the scene.


	2. Chapter 2

Chapter 2: battle

Ravenpaw barely thought as he lunged towards the Riverclan warriors. His heart was pumping and adrenaline shot through him as he bit the warrior who was in front of him. Blood and fur filled his mouth as he bited the mangy fish eater. The warrior screeched with anger as Ravenpaw held on until he was flung off and pinned. The warrior yowled with triumph and started scratching Ravenpaws belly. Ravenpaw felt the blood dripping from his wounds and started to panic as the warrior slashed deeper and deeper till Redtail lunged into Ravenpaws sight. The brave warrior flung the Riverclan warrior off him and helped him stand "are you ok?" he asked "fine" Ravenpaw answered even though sweat and blood dripped into his eyes. Redtail sat up and mewed

"no your not fine, no one is we can not win this fight" Ravenpaw levelled his breathing and answered "but we can't just give in" Ravenpaw meowed "we won't be giving in" Redtail mewed "will be gathering more strength Ravenpaw, you will be honoured for your bravery but this battle will only end in failure" then he tipped back his head and yowled "Thunderclan retreat! Retreat!" then began to help the others back into the forest

"now-now Tigerclaw you can't go taking your apprentice on wild adventures yet" spottedleaf said "his wounds are deep and he needs more time" Ravenpaws ears flickered with gratitude that his battle wounds weren't healed, he really didn't want to go hunting or battle training right now. "but how can he train while in a nest" Tigerclaw argued "Thunderclan needs more warriors and the only way to get them is to train" Spottedleaf shook her head as she looked at Tigerclaw "no Tigerclaw what Thunderclan needs right now is good healthy warriors" she mewed "and that can't happen unless you stop taking Ravenpaw away from me "a few small training sections" I say but what do I see a mentor and his apprentice romping in the forest on wild adventures" "but I was only doing a hunting assignment" Ravenpaw was siting up now and he mewed in offense when spottedleaf mentioned romping

"see even my apprentice agrees with me and he's the one injured" Tiger claw mewed triumphantly. Ravenpaw stepped back a bit, he didn't want to train and yet he probably got a oneway mouse to the training hollow "And Ravenpaw must be bored of the medicine cat den" Tigerclaw argued "most apprentices do when they've been here for over a-" he was interrupted by Bluestar who's voice rang out over the entire clearing "all cats old enough to catch their own prey gather underneath the high rock for a clan meeting" Tigerclaw growled and then pushed Ravenpaw to the entrance of the den "come on then, you can't be so injured that you can't listen to the meeting" Ravenpaw knew it was futile to argue so he got up and walked out of the den.

By the time they got out Bluestar was already mewing "I'm sure you all heard about the skirmish at the sunning rocks" there was a loud murmuring as all cats mewed their agreement "we were defeated but now we have more strength and more warriors to bring into battle" Ravenpaw looked around at this, where was Bluestar going with this " and so I ask of you which of you wish to tear Riverclan fur" Tigerclaw was already up " I volunteer me and my apprentice to this fight!" Ravenpaw looked in horror as his mentor volunteered him. He hardly noticed as all the other cats leaped up to volunteer. He was to focused on the moment on which Tigerclaw volunteered his life over to Bluestar.

Ravenpaw was numb as they raced to sunning rocks. Redtail was in the front as was Mousefur who was going to loving to get revenge on Riverclan. Tigerclaw was behind him whispering advice to him every so often. Ravenpaw knew that this battle would probably take his life judging by the wounds that still scarred him but he didn't care. He would go down fighting and that was all that mattered.

Finally they reached sunningrocks. Ravenpaw was furious as he gazed at the Riverclan warriors littered all over the rocks. Some were hunting but most were just lounging around yawning. Redtail flicked his tail and the whole group was lying in the grass the message was simple. Wait till they all have fallen asleep.

Ravenpaw was starting to twitch by the time all were asleep. He watched Redtails waving tail like a mouse until he finally slapped his tail into the ground signalling attack. The whole patrol leaped on the bleary eyed Riverclan warriors. Ravenpaw soon had an apprentice caught in his grasp. Ravenpaw smiled as he ripped into the apprentice fur. The apprentice awoke with a yowl and ran straight for the river as fast as he could. A warrior saw the fleeing apprentice and leaped on Ravenpaw pushing him into the dirt. Ravenpaw copied the move he had used when fighting Graypaw and laid still. The warrior un-tensed and yowled with triumph as he reached for Ravenpaws neck. Ravenpaw leaped up and smashed the warrior to the ground. Soon he was weaving his way through the warriors legs nipping, and clawing the warrior. Soon the warrior couldn't take it and he ran across the river. Ravenpaw looked around and saw redtail tackling stonefur suddenly Oakheart joined in on the battle nocking back Redtail and yowling "no Thunderclan warrior would ever hurt stonefur!" and tackled Redtail. A yowl sounded through the clearing and the tumbling of rocks could be heard. Ravenpaw fought to keep steady as the earth began to shiver. Finally it stopped. Ravenpaw looked at where the sound had come from and saw a tail sticking out beneath a mass of earth. Ravenpaw recognized the tail as the warrior who had pinned him at the skirmish. Ravenpaw realized exactly who that tail belonged to "Oakheart is dead!" he yowled to the sky. All the Riverclan warriors saw the broken figure of Oakhearts tail and ran towards the river. Tigerclaw walked up to him "Ravenpaw you go home and get that shoulder tended to me and Redtail will keep watch" Ravenpaw nodded and looked at his shoulder. The wound was ugly and it made Ravenpaws head spin so he started trotting through the forest. Suddenly a horrible idea slid through his mind and he flung himself towards sunningrocks. What if Riverclan surprise attacked Redtail and Tigerclaw to avenge Oakheart! They were alone and it wouldn't take many Riverclan warriors to take them down when they were like this! Ravenpaw reached Sunningrocks as fast as he could and saw a tranquil sight. Redtail was watching the fleeing Riverclan warriors and Tigerclaw was sneaking around the rocks looking for hiding prey or Riverclan apprentices. Ravenpaw watched for a bit then just as he was about to turn back he saw something. Tigerclaw was sneaking up on Redtail! Ravenpaw weakened as he saw what was about to unfold. Tigerclaw leaped on to Redtail and quickly bit his neck. Ravenpaw crumpled up like a leaf as Tigerclaw looked around to see if anyone saw but Ravenpaw didn't see that. He was already hightailing it back to camp.

_Poor Redtail he never had it coming. Lets see what Ravenpaw does next in the next chapter. As always R&R_

_Doomsbane out_


End file.
